Ever feel like your life is the antidote to all of your parents’ mistakes? Or do you feel that you embody the worst character traits of both parents? Either way, it’s easy to create those informed, practiced, enlightened takes on your generational beef when you’re trapped in the quiet auspices of your own mind. When you’re in your twenties and still integrating all the trauma, you can talk shit. Even in your thirties, when you’ve done some requisite self-improvement, you can’t actually fathom the full-time pressure cooker that is parenting until you are one. As for millennials, are we really just big emo babies with adult money? Or are we actually the new elders, having been raised by a generation that never fully grew up, at least not in the ways we wanted them to? If you’re a millennial parent like me, you might be shouldering widespread institutional collapse while parenting ‘Crystal Generation’ offspring who are more spiritually evolved than anything this world has ever seen.
Once your kid is past the mini-me stage, and you have to start answering to a seemingly full-grown person intact with an ego, needs, desires, etc, well, that’s when the sacred mirror of parenthood gets a little foggy. An instruction manual for parenting? If you’re like me, you probably break all the rules without trying to. When I titled this piece ‘Spoil Your Kids,’ I wasn’t talking about expensive toys or sugary treats. I was reading Parenting for Liberation: A Guide for Raising Black Children by Trina Green Brown. In a book designed to liberate future generations of children by working with Black parents to name, interrupt and transform trauma responses being passed down generation after generation, author Trina Green Brown names the three paths of connection necessary to shift from fear-based parenting to liberated parents: (re)connection to self, (re)connection to our children and (re)connection to community. And, she informs us that it’s okay to spoil our kids with all the good things our parents may not have realized we needed.
In a conversational essay with A. Rochaun Meadows-Fernandez titled “Shifting Away from Tough Love,” the pair debunks the negative connotation of ‘spoiling,’ dissecting how the phrase itself implies that if we give too much to our children, they will go bad, go rotten. “How is being emotionally present and giving the balance of love and structure that research has already proven countless times that children excel in, spoiling him? For so long, we have been taught that to be completely present for our children is wrong,” writes Brown. And that’s not the only parenting book I’m reading this summer. Another incredible resource, Raising 4 Dimensional Children in a 2 Dimensional World by Tim McCarthy, is worth mentioning. In fact, it inspired the format for the remainder of this round-up, which I’ve broken up into sections delineating each aspect of what McCarthy calls the ‘4-Dimensional’ child.
Writing from a place of unique understanding, McCarthy, an educator and martial artist with a Master’s in Education, breaks his book down into the four dimensions of human potential: Physical, Mental, Emotional, and Spiritual. As you can imagine, each dimension is crucial to your child’s healthy development and worthy of study. None alone is sufficient to define who your child is! Each dimension also has a constituting foundation. Food is the building block of the physical body; thoughts are the building blocks of the mental body. Our feelings (often confused with thoughts) are the building blocks of the mental dimension, while our beliefs (which we can refine through a process of awareness, evaluation and intention) are the foundation of our spiritual life.
Responding to the increasing 2-dimensional nature of human interaction mediated by screens and socials, nurturing all four dimensions of your child’s potential is an antidote to today’s status quo fixation with progress, surveillance and the ‘canned’ experience of life intended to sell us the dream of happiness and fulfillment. Having seen myself pushed through the ringer of the attention economy, which increasingly raises the stakes in its war on our minds and hearts, I never want this experience for my son. Not the addictive high and distracted lows, nor the para-social amores or assumption that everything is boring compared to the overstimulating, mental candy of screen life. Just as I am pained to tell my adult boyfriends not to ‘gameify’ love, I never want my son to reach for his phone when he could be making a piece of art, taking a walk or reaching out to hold another human being’s hand. New research states that young children spend an average of over three hours a day on screens. By the time they reach their teen years, that number nearly doubles. Screen time has been linked to obesity, lower brain development, lower language acquisition in preschoolers and depression in adolescents, writes McCarthy, concluding “Machines are wonderful servants, but terrible masters.”
Similar to more holistic philosophies of life, such as the zodiac, medicine wheel or bagua, the 4-dimensions of McCarthy’s parenting roadmap were inspired by his long-time practice as a martial artist and the discipline’s roots in a more holistic, Eastern philosophy of life. In the introduction, McCarthy writes about how ‘common sense’ sadly isn’t so common anymore. Writing about children in developmental stages, the book feels easy to read with a quick navigation system that allows you to build on the primary foundation by simply jumping to the chapter specific to your child’s age group. It’s also packed with over 400 wholesome educational activities you can do at home, in a restaurant, in the car, or anytime someone feels bored. Lest we forget, being “bored” is the stuff magic is made of. The less your child’s fragile nervous system is overstimulated, the more the power of his indwelling imagination can soar! The same goes for creating moments of quality time, of close connection. We don’t always need to purchase that high-ticket item or take them to the latest circus of the senses…what our children need is to feel seen and supported. As McCarthy writes in the chapter on childhood ages 5-7, it’s important to be a “Gardener” not a “Carpenter” when raising our kids. Additionally, children are not here for us to re-live our own life and regrets through. We are here to listen, to guide and often, to learn from and with our children.
As for McCarthy’s book, it’s a great foil to the modern educational system, which has been going lean on arts and culture requirements for too long, when not failing to encompass moral or spiritual concerns at all. As you read on, note that I have grouped this round-up into four parts inspired by the 4-dimensions of McCarthy’s philosophy. Feel free to skip forward to the section that feels most urgent in terms of your family’s growth curve. With every household striking its own delicate balance between work and play, presence and peace, chaos and order, may these insights into the more subtle realms of child development infuse your family’s summer with whatever aspect feels most lacking.
This doesn’t have to mean tough love, but rather, holding space for young ones to make mindful choices and build their capacity to engage with new experiences in age-appropriate ways. Maybe this looks like pausing before you hit your boiling point and recalibrating before you react as a parent. Maybe this looks like cutting down on screen time and ramping up family movie night to compensate, letting your kids make the popcorn! Maybe this looks like developing a healthy balance between routine (left brain) and spontaneity (right brain) throughout the day. Did you know that musical education builds a healthy reciprocity between the twin hemispheres of the brain? McCarthy notes how German scientists have found that the messenger between the two hemispheres of the brain, known as the corpus callosum, is 10-15% thicker in musicians who started training before the age of seven.
Available as a Paperback and eBook on Amazon, Raising 4 Dimensional Children in a 2 Dimensional World is a must-read for any family blazing their own trail, striking back against big tech, or simply looking for age-appropriate wellness, education and disciplinary tools. Follow @4dparents on Instagram for out-of-the-box parenting inspiration. Read on for my top summer picks – including some of the hottest new toys, crowd-pleasing excursions and practical staples to make your children’s summer sizzle with principled magic and embodied wisdom.
Find the book HERE
Building Self-Esteem & Empathy: The Emotional Self
In his book, McCarthy outlines how one easy way for parents to help their children succeed is by encouraging a growth mindset. While a fixed mindset focuses on results and avoids risks, a growth mindset focuses on process and encourages experimentation. To name a personal anecdote, recently my son was making his father a birthday card and had to crumble up sheet after sheet of paper. “Do-overs” he calls them, never settling for less than perfection, a tall order at eight years old! The artist in me went through every supposed “mess up,” finding something strangely beautiful, imperfectly perfect about each one. And so, we folded them together as a book, put a few staples down the middle and kept enhancing the master work. Not only did his Dad get a lovely present, but an entire book of cards filled with dragons, misspellings, word-searches, connect-the-dots and all manner of oddities. Ultimately, we found that not only did the process fill days of time with creativity and fun, the end result was much more stunning, more demonstrative of my son’s dedication and love for his father. As McCarthy writes, “When you focus on effort, you encourage intrinsic motivation,” which leads to your child developing his own inner compass. Rather than reacting positively or negatively to external factors like criticism or praise, “Your child creates his own internal reward based on his goals. Encouraging the inner voice that eventually becomes his conscience,” informs McCarthy.
In the name of positive thinking, check out Affirmations for Kids. Each deck contains 52 affirmation cards with encouraging words written specifically for children ages 4-11. Helping your precious young ones find calm and confidence in a messy world, a blank space on the backside means they also double as personalized lunch box notes! With consistent use, the cards help kids build a growth mindset, increase self-esteem and improve overall mood and well-being, boasts 7th Compass, the brand behind the cards. Loved by parents, teachers and caregivers everywhere, Affirmations for Kids are ideal for use at home, in the classroom, a cozy corner or a therapist’s office. Read them along with your child for a double dose of co-regulated catharsis. A purveyor of simple tools to encourage positive self-talk and a growth mindset in kids, 7th Compass is a Mom-run small family business curated through the lens of love, gratitude and acceptance.
Find it HERE
One day I made the mistake of casually insinuating that my son had somehow outgrown stuffed animals. Yes, his favorite color is getting a shade darker and presumably more mature and masculine by the day. Yes, he’s developing his own tastes and throwing longer distances than his mother. But I stand corrected, because he still loves a good stuffy as much as he loves a good snuggle! What’s unique about the brand Snugglebug Toys is that not only does the company focus on lesser-known, endangered animals from around the world, their lineup of truly cuddly companions provide an opportunity to have a conversation with your kids about the environment, potentially sparking a lifelong love of conservation. Naturally, every high-quality, adorable Snugglebug comes with an informational card filled with fun facts and conservation information about the endangered species represented. From pangolins, to red pandas to whooping cranes, each conscious plushie is modeled after a real animal in need. Not only that, the brand’s commitment to real-world impact ensures that 15% of proceeds go directly to accredited wildlife conservation beneficiaries for these endangered species. Inspiring empathy and education through play, Snugglebug premium plushies make teaching your children about wildlife conservation more relevant, sustainable and fun.
Find it HERE
As New Yorkers living in a cultural melting pot, we know that developing a growth and abundance mindset also necessitates increasing our tolerance of difference and developing the cultural understanding required to navigate diverse communities. In the name of raising the next generation of youth to be kind, curious and culturally aware humans, check out the Cultural Education Box by Global Sprouts. Imagine a hands-on learning adventure in a box chock full of crafts, games, toys, language activities, flash cards, yummy recipes and cultural stories. With each one focused on a specific country, culture boxes spark curiosity, empathy and joy.
As a city mom raising a city kid, it’s an easy way to introduce new avenues of experience without breaking the bank or surrendering fully to wanderlust. As the brand boasts, “Whether you’re in a fifth-floor walk-up or heading to the neighborhood park, Global Sprouts makes it easy to turn your home into a passport for global discovery —screen-free, mess-friendly, and full of heart. Turn playtime into a passport around the world!” Founded by Whitney Dueñas Richardson, a CHamoru and Dutch mom with a deep-rooted love for cultural connection, Global Sprouts was born out of a desire to help families raise globally-minded kids through hands-on discovery and meaningful storytelling. After traveling to over thirty countries and falling in love with small towns and hidden corners of the world, Whitney realized that what truly connects us isn’t landmarks—it’s people, traditions and everyday life. Because being discerning with what toys we purchase for our children goes a long way in terms of planting potent seeds of empathy, curiosity and cultural appreciation when it matters most. Designed for ages 2-10, Global Sprouts is an ideal way to introduce new languages, traditions and fun facts while encouraging a lifelong love of learning in your child. Purchase a one-time culture box or subscribe for a regular monthly surprise!
Find it HERE
Building Healthy Bodies: The Physical Self
When it comes to discipline, liberated parents prioritize connection over control. We aim to listen before we react, peeling away the layers of what our child is saying to understand the basic human drives and needs beneath the cry for help, no matter how triggering personally, or what the context may imply. Prioritizing connection over control can also look like slowing down our parental urge to intervene or fix the problem. Liberated parents raising multidimensional children learn to watch and learn. “When you jump in to quickly, the message is ‘you are not capable,’” writes McCarthy. Which is not to say let your six-year-old steamroll your boundaries in the name of binge-watching and ice cream for breakfast. “If he is simply testing his boundaries, you need to reinforce the boundary,” writes McCarthy.
If your son is like mine, your child is kinetic and lives to move! Encourage it! Currently, my Kali’s jam is soccer. After he completed a free soccer camp recently with City Parks, we decided to test out a private coach at TeachMe.To – a new platform providing NYC families with local, expert instruction in their sport of choice. Choose from pickleball, tennis, basketball, soccer or virtually any popular sport. Not only is the first lesson always free, reserving a private lesson at a local location can be done in just a few clicks. Clocking hundreds of lessons daily across 500 U.S. locations with an average instructor rating of 4.9 out of 5, choose from a diverse selection of coaches in your area by watching an introductory “Vet ‘Em Video.” My son absolutely loved his recent session with Kevin Elias, a passionate and dedicated soccer player and coach who began his soccer journey at the age of five. Featured in Huffington Post, CNBC, Business Insider & other major news outlets, TeachMe.To is a level-up for urban parents fostering their child’s sportsmanship in the spirit of wellness and teamwork.
Book your session HERE
Speaking of fitness, when it comes to steps, us New Yorkers know we WALK IT OUT! When my family and friends come to visit, I feel the need to warn them – BEWARE – this city involves a lot of walking! When my son was younger, we found that a scooter was essential to get from point A to B. Having a scooter handy means kids go fast enough to keep up with Mom, get to glide (rather than walk) and feel large and in charge with their own custom vehicle in hand. Bonus if they picked it out themselves, extra credit if it’s eco-friendly! When my son’s conventional scooter bit the dust (he gets highly experimental on wheels to my terror and joy), we were overjoyed to discover Banwood. The brand’s newly released Eco Collection features both scooters and bikes with classic looks, vintage detailing and iconic, detachable wicker baskets. Perfect for young adventurers, 3-wheeled eco scooters are built to last with a sturdy steel frame and made from 100% post-consumer recycled plastic. Ideal for eco-conscious families that prioritize personal style, the premier Eco Collection’s contemporary designs deliver mid-century charm with simplicity, minimalism and functionality in one. A family-owned lifestyle brand with a passion for creating high-end cycling products for children, Banwood’s core values revolve around safety, high quality, and timeless designs.
Find it HERE
As for encouraging less-structured, more affordable outdoor play, I recommend the Aerobie Bounce Disc, which promises hours of family fun. A solid alternative to frisbees or boomerangs – Aerobie Bounce Disc by Spin Master is a streamlined fusion toy you can throw, bounce and catch all at once. Hurl it against the wall or ground and watch it come back. Not to mention trick shots, long-distance throws and other creative hacks only your kids can dream up! As a family-friendly, high-performance outdoor toy accessible to all skill levels, Aerobie Bounce Disc is a shoe-in when it comes to active kids with a high regard for adventurous, active outdoor play. Aerobie’s hyperlite grip and durable spring core make it easy to hold and throw, while its high-visibility neon design means you won’t lose it in the neighbor’s hedge. Measuring just 8″ in diameter, it’s a great item to slip into your beach bag, pull out on the fly at the family reunion, or whenever you need it most!
Find it HERE
For the remaining portion of our section dedicated to the dimension of PHYSICAL HEALTH, I want to note two easy, practical and surprisingly cute ways to support your child’s well-being. The first one is Antix Bandaids, the first aid kit staple you never knew you needed. As an 80s baby with a weakness for stickers, I’m not going to waste precious space needlessly convincing you why jazzy bandaids are cool for kids of all ages. If you’re still questioning whether bandaids actually double as a toy, consider that my son takes care to fill his backpack with colorful bandaids to share with all of his friends. Apparently they started trading them once Pokemon cards were banned. As a rising 3rd grader, this fall we’re taking it up a notch! Turn Owies into WOWies with adhesive bandages that double as temporary tattoos. Watch in wonder as you peel off each band
aid to reveal a mini temporary tattoo. With over 100 different temporary tattoo characters to choose from, Antix Bandaids come in packs of 10 of various sizes. Simply wet the bandage, peel it off, and voila! The water used to transfer the temporary tattoo softens the bandage adhesive for a less painful removal experience. Developed by a dedicated Dad, Antix Bandaids make being brave and active more stylish and fun!
Find it HERE
Ever beg your parents for a McDonald’s Happy Meal just to get the latest toy? Well, now you can achieve the same leverage over your kiddo, without having to enable the consumption of toxic junk food. In the age of conscious parenting, if we are going to incentivize toys, why not do it in the name of impeccable oral hygiene? Make bedtime rituals an adventure with Toothbrush Toys to encourage’ long-lasting healthy dental habits with very little effort!
With poor pediatric dental hygiene at alarmingly high numbers nationwide, Toothbrush Toys encourage children to engage with their brushes through captivating stories and animation. From the female-founded company on a mission to lower resistance to brushing, the brand’s partnership with America’s Toothfairy enables them to provide dental care products nationwide to children in need. Reusable and collectible, replaceable brush heads mean your child’s toothbrush never has to go into a landfill! Not only that, the toy remains intact even once your child moves on to their next favorite character-derived brush. Bundle your purchase with an interactive storybook and save.
Find it HERE
Building Healthy ROUTINES & Minds: The Mental Self
Did you know that the heart sends more messages to the brain than it sends back? In his book, McCarthy highlights how heart rate variability can signal the brain to switch modes into sympathetic (flight, fight or freeze) or parasympathetic (rest and digest) mode. Meaning, in many ways, the heart controls the brain and not the other way around, as we might imagine. For example, when we are angry, the signals sent to the brain cause it to limit our clear thinking and memory formation. On the contrary, when we are in a loving state, “The heart emits a more ordered, coherent signal to the brain, often resulting in better focus, memory, and comprehension,” writes McCarthy. One of my favorite exercises in his book comes from the HeartMath Institute. Called the FreezeFrame Tool, it’s a simple 5-step process that helps children downshift from a sympathetic to a parasympathetic response. In a world more than ever polarized by violence, judgment, and bigotry, raising heart-centered children is our very monumental task as parents. I say all that to say that when it comes to mental health, one of our vital tasks as parents is supporting our children’s head-heart coherence.
And what better way to feed the heart than by cultivating revolutionary joy in family life. While it may seem too simple or naive for some, I believe that heart-centeredness and a healthy nervous system begin with the parent’s quality of life and commitment to presence. No matter of money, books, therapy or tutors can give to your child the simple gift of your attuned awareness. That being said, in honor of the Mental Dimension of humanity, I’m highlighting three phenomenal toys that are bound to make your summer of family fun glimmer with possibility. When all else fails, call on the The Bubble Lab Megaphone! For under $30 on Amazon, you too can become a neighborhood hero in parks, playgrounds and backyards across NYC. Not only does pulling the Megaphone trigger unleash a cascade of glorious bubbles, but the voice-activated component of what is truly the world’s first sound-activated Bubble Blower makes it more magical than any other toy ever invented. Watch and giggle as your kids sing, scream or shout bubbles into the air. Putting smiles on children’s faces around the world, the Bubble Lab Megaphone is your ticket to ensuring even the stickiest of summer days is filled with plenty of whimsy and wonder.
Find it HERE
If you’ve read this far I know that you’re at least tolerating my warnings about the dangers of screen time for children. That being said, I know that many of even the most in the know, digital detox aficionado parents find themselves on the fence with this issue. The truth is, even when we try to limit or ban screens from our kids’s early childhood experiences, everywhere we go, in the city at least, there they are. And if you’re a single Mom working from home like me, you know that saying one thing and doing the other has its own ramifications. How can we expect our children’s lives to stay screen-free if ours are screenful?
As with many things, moderation is key. Which is why the second find I have in mind to fuel urban kids’ cerebral dimension is a screen-free audio player designed for little hands and big adventures! When you’re trapped on your phone for work or simply driving or busy, set your child up with the Yoto Mini. Revamped in a compact, travel-friendly design, the Yoto Mini by Yoto Play provides hours of stories, music and learning on the go. Just pop in a Yoto card and take the magic anywhere! No microphone. No camera. No ads. No need to put those baby locks on the search browser! Whether your child is screen-free or screen-moderate or somewhere in between, the Yoto Mini is the ultimate replacement for that premature iPad or Television turned babysitter.
With a pixel display that brings audio to life, Yoto Mini affords independent, ad-free listening to kids of all ages. An ability to change chapters and adjust volume on their own makes them feel like they’re in charge. Not only that, the Yoto Mini also doubles as a Bluetooth speaker, has a built-in alarm clock, boasts fourteen hours of battery life per charge and comes with a free set of sleep sounds – from white noise and dreamy music to the pitter-patter of rain. Pumping out size-defying sound for any occasion, parents can set volume limits or cue up audio for a long car ride from the Yoto app. Plus, Yoto Play offers free delivery, payment plans and 60-day fuss-free returns!
Find it HERE
Let’s review, what exactly do sound-activated bubble blowers and storytelling on the go have to do with building your child’s mental faculties? Contrary to the Baby-Einstein track that force-feeds academics before children are developmentally ready, as we learned from McCord and Heart Math, a lovingly attuned familial environment goes a long way when it comes to your child’s ability to focus and engage when it matters most. Which is why my last pick for the mental dimension of growth is a multi-sensory, magnetic building toy to unlock imagination and creativity. If we’ve learned anything from the aftermath of fast fashion and fast food, we can surmise that fast education is a proven remedy for burnout. How about rather than expecting progress and perfection from our young ones, we give them time to build their endless capacity for play and imagination, before it’s too late?
Introducing Clixo, the award-winning toy inspiring youth to build an infinite number of creations in 2D and 3D. Emphasizing our ongoing theme of multidimensional learning, Clixo packs’ flexible and strong pieces combine the magic of origami with the power of magnets. Empowering creativity and confidence in children six and up, Clixo emphasizes the importance of discovery and learning through hands-on experimentation. Choose from themed packs like Tropical Birds, Ocean Creatures, or my son’s favorite, the Mars Rover Pack (TOTY Awards’ Creative Toy of the Year Finalist). A flexible magnetic building experience for roving minds, The Mars Rover Pack comes complete with all-terrain wheels, fire blasters and myriad custom pieces from which your child can build countless rovers, motorcycles and space drones. Unleashing STEAM skills alongside creativity, your child is doing much more than mentally scaling terrific Martian Landscapes with this glow-in-the-dark, hands-on learning flex.
Find it HERE
In my son’s second-grade class at the Brooklyn Waldorf School, the predominant theme of a year-long language block was dedicated to stories of Saints, Helpers of Humanity, Holy Troublemakers and Tricksters from cultures around the globe. Designed to cultivate age-appropriate development of deeper curiosity and critical thinking in students, in the realm of Waldorf pedagogy, second grade is a precarious threshold. The child who once simply believed the world is good now begins to grapple with the question, “What is good, and what is not?” At the tender age of 7-8, emergent binary thinking is natural and developmentally appropriate. Through the lens of mystic Rudolf Steiner’s inspired pedagogy, at this age, school children are invited to explore the interplay between good and bad, right and wrong.
Inviting the second grade to ponder how beauty and challenge can exist side by side, this language block expanded the typical lexicon of ABC’s to encompass the dimensions of morality and resilience. While I can’t speak for all school systems, I feel that faith and spirituality (not necessarily one way or one religious path) are essential to the development of healthy, well-rounded and resilient humans.
In McCarthy’s book, one of the activities recommended for middle childhood with a clear spiritual basis is called Pay it Forward. In this exercise, parents can ask their children before bed about ways they can be of service, support others in need, or become more compassionate in their daily lives. In a world that often seems to reward villains, we can still help our children realize that “Just because you can’t do everything, you can still do something,” writes McCarthy. And when it comes to the laws of kindness, each and every drop of compassion makes the sea.
Speaking of which, if you’re in the Seaport district, stop by the South Street Seaport Museum for free family activity weekends happening all August. The South Street Seaport Museum, located in the heart of the historic seaport district in New York City, was founded in 1967 to preserve and interpret the history of New York as a great port city. With the theme of this summer’s public programming called Lenape Games, the playful, interactive educational series focuses on the Greater New York region’s rich past. Discover the traditions of the area’s Indigenous people by playing the games they enjoyed here, long before anyone called this island New York City. Family-friendly activities include Selahtinalìtin (s??l??t??n?l??t?n), a scattering straws game similar to Pick Up Sticks or Jackstraws and Mamantuhwin (m?æm?nt?u?w?n), a dice-and-bowl game inspired by the whirligig beetle. Experience the excitement of these traditional games as a learning portal into the history of Lenapehoking, the land now known as South Street Seaport. Timely hands-on activities and engagement stations for visitors of all ages offer creative opportunities that illuminate history and life at sea. South Street Seaport Museum free August Family Activity Weekends run August 2-31st from 11am-4:45pm on Saturdays & Sundays.
Learn More HERE
And if all of the above hasn’t sent your child to 5-D heart-centered heaven, top it off with a trip to the world’s largest indoor waterpark, and have a splashing good time! After a recent trip for my son’s eighth birthday, it’s literally his favorite place of all time. Frankly, sometimes all of the best parenting advice still pales in comparison to that inflated feeling your child gets when they’re in the fun zone grinning ear-to-ear. American dreamers, we go hard! Catalyze infectious family fun and make it a lucid summer by diving heart-first into DreamWorks’ splash-activated waters amidst dump cups, playful geysers and the mightiest of indoor tipping buckets.
Boasting the largest selection of record-breaking water rides worldwide, if your kiddos don’t warm up to the jaw-dropping mega slides, they’ll surely frolic freely in the park’s newly rebranded Kung Fu Panda temple of awesomeness – a towering, multilevel play structure filled with gushing surprises at every turn. Did I mention the world’s biggest indoor wave pool? With swim options limited for us city slickers, it’s worth the short trip to New Jersey, and accessible by public transportation, being located in a massive shopping center. With an 81-degree tropical climate all year long, those sky box cabanas and array of multilevel hot tubs beckon sweetly. When you tire of all the wave crashing, take a cruise around the lazy river or get a snack at the various family-friendly concession spots.
Not only that, the park is crawling with your child’s favorite DreamWorks characters. Celebrate birthdays in style with an aquatic adventure you’ll never forget. Choose between a day pass, seasonal splash pass discount, or rent a skybox or Cabana for your next family gathering. Skip the line with the Turbo Pass that gives you instant access to 15 Turbo Slides. For an even deeper discount, try a Sunset Session or Twilight Admission, both of which give you access to the waterpark for the final few hours at a reduced rate. Because your child’s unforgettably aquatic memories are worth their weight in gold.
Get tickets HERE
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Parenting for Liberation: A Guide to Raising Black Children by Trina Greene Brown, New York City: The Feminist Press (2020)
Raising 4 Dimensional Children in a 2 Dimensional World by Tim McCarthy, Port Saint Lucie, FL: 4D-2D.com (2021)
